Snack foods are sold at many establishments such as fast food outlets, carrier outs, movie theaters, concert halls, stadiums, amusement parks, etc. At many such establishments, individuals purchase food items such as french fries, pretzels, popcorn, potato chips and the like. These individuals also purchase liquid refreshments such as soda, lemonade, ice tea, etc. The problem is that an individual only has two hands and with little or no opportunity to sit at a table or stand at a counter, it is often difficult to hold one container in each hand or balance both containers in a single hand and to use the other hand for eating.
The above problem is exacerbated at carry outs where an individual must carry multiple items, open doors, open and shut car doors, and the like. In movies, theaters, sports stadiums and the like there is frequently inadequate space to use as a table or counter top which may result in spilling portions and at times most of the food and beverage. In many of the aforementioned establishments, disposable trays are provided and yet such trays are not a substitute for a table or counter top and may provide an additional problem of picking up and disposing of the trays.
In an effort to overcome the above mentioned problems, food containers for use with beverage receptacles have been developed. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,117 of Berjis disclose an apparatus for forming a container to hold a drinking cup at the bottom end of the container and to hold food in an upper portion of the container. As described therein, a unitary container to hold a drinking cup at a bottom end of the container and to hold food in an upper portion of the container is provided. The container is generally a frusto-conical shaped structure such that an individual can have one hand to feed themselves and the other to hold the container which retains the drinking cup and the food.
A more recent patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,417 of Ferraro discloses a food container having a side wall and a bottom wall in which there is a cut or opening to allow the passage of a drinking straw through the food container and into a drink receptacle. In such containers, a bottom wall is provided with a plurality of connectors for allowing connection of the food container to receptacles of different sizes at their upper end.
Such containers are particularly useful for fast food restaurants, food stands, movie theaters, concert halls and stadiums which may have little or no space for tables, counter tops or other flat surfaces. Such containers are also particularly applicable for carry out services for use in an automobile, by bicyclist, motorcyclist and children.
It is presently believed that there may be a significant demand for an improved food container for use with a beverage receptacle in accordance with the present invention. It is believed that there is a commercial demand because such containers can be shipped flat and opened up into a food containing portion and a receptacle encircling portion, position the food above the beverage and at the same time can be manufactured at a competitive costs, stored in a compact form and readily used by the pervayor of food and beverages.
Further advantages of the food containers in accordance with the present invention reside in the use of a cover of a beverage container as a base for the food container eliminating the need for a separate base, a channel in the side wall of the food container and perforations in the cover of the beverage receptacle for accommodating a straw, a higher arch shape back for the food container and a lower arch shape front for access to food. Further, the use of offset fold lines provides a base for the food container which is smaller than the cover of the beverage receptacle. These and other advantages will be readily apparent from the following description of the invention.